Alphabetical Plant Listing

Award-Winning Shrubs for Gardeners in New England

Regional Gardening, Best Shrubs, New England Gardening


Hardy shrubs are essential elements in New England gardens. They add depth and character to any garden and provide lovely blooms, attractive berries, showy fall colors, and food for the birds.

Selecting the right shrub variety might be daunting for New England gardeners. If you are looking for beautiful, low-maintenance, and hardy plants that thrive in the New England region, you may want to consider these top-performing shrubs which all won the Cary award, which is a joint effort between the Worcester County Horticultural Society, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, the New England Nursery Association, the Massachusetts Nursery, and Landscape Association, and many other organizations across New England. The goal of this program is to promote outstanding plants for New England gardens. Named in honor of plantsman Ed Cary, it identifies superior ornamental landscape plants that meet the growing conditions of the region and have proven their performance. Each year, this program selects new plant winners in 3 categories: shrubs, vines, groundcovers, and trees.

Below is the list of the prestigious shrub winners. As you will note, some of them have also received the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society!

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 7
Heat Zones 1 - 3
Plant Type Shrubs
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Early,Mid,Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Winter
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy
Attracts Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas Beds and Borders, Hedges and Screens, Patio and Containers, Ponds and Streams
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden
New England Plant Combination Ideas New England Guides

likelike / 123RF Stock Photo

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 7
Heat Zones 1 - 3
Plant Type Shrubs
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Early,Mid,Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Winter
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy
Attracts Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas Beds and Borders, Hedges and Screens, Patio and Containers, Ponds and Streams
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden
New England Plant Combination Ideas New England Guides

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